Gas lift apparatus



May 23, 1933. s. H. GRINNELL ET AL 1,910,762

GAS LIFT APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 agr. 2.

U@ @MA @L May 23, l933 s. H. GRxNNELL ET Al.

CTAS LIFT APPARATUS Filed March 8, I952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENTORSSf'rinne/l 5 ACT/whe! f f M ATTORNEY May 23, A1933. s. H. GRINNELL ET AL1,910,762

GAS LIFT APPARATUS Filed March 8, A193.2 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNE Y.

May 23, 1933 s. H. GRINN'ELL Er AL 1,910,762

GAS LIFT APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 temporaryPatented May 23, 1933' UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE] SAIUEL HENRYGRINNELL AND ALBERT C. BUBEL, 0l' L08 ANGELES, CALHORNIA,

ASSIGNORS T0 UNION OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, 0F LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA,

A CORPORATION 0l' CALIFORNIA ens Arrmrus nppuuon ma Imm s, less. smalnu. saisie.

This inventionrelates to devices for lowering tubing in oil wells whichare bem flowed by the well known gas lift metho and constitutes animprovement over the structures shown in our co-pendin applicationsSerial No. 480,327 of S. H. rinnell, and Serial No. 480,328 of Grinnelland Rubel, both filed September 8, 1930, which have eventuatedrespectively into Patent No. 1,- 852,716 and 1,852,717, granted April 5,1932.

In general the purpose of the invention is to produce a method and astructure whereby tubingmay be lowered in a gas lift well during andsimultaneously with either a concient to lower the tubing.

The specific object of the invention is to provide a method andstructure such that the tubing lowering operations may be carried onwith a minimum of manipulative procedure, and such that a minimum ofparts will be required as permanent equipment at.

the top of each well. According to the pres- .ent disclosures only acomparatively simple casing head structure and valve therefor arerequired permanently, all other operative parts being in the form of anattachable and removable unit that may be transported for 'use invarious locations as required. l

The common gas lift procedure for the re'- covery of oil from deep wellsconsists in the introduction of high pressure gas into the well eitherthrough the casing or through a central flow tube within the casing insuch fashion that the gas in its passage around the lower end of thetubing, picks up 'the oil, atomizes it and carries it to the surface.When first placing a well on gas lift the oil initially stands muchhigher in .the well than is desired for subsequent ilow, and often theresultant head is so great that the available gas pressure is notsulicient'to overcome the head and discharge the oil bod if the tubingbe Vinitially lowered to the esired depth. Also, it often happens that,after a given period of gas lift, it becomes necessary or desirable tolower the tubing farther into the well to such a depth that theavail-able gas pressure will not overcome the resultant head. The mostdesirable method and means for lowering tubing under these conditionshas been found to be that which rmits the introduction of gas eithercontinuously or intermittently during tubing lowering operations so thatgas lift ma be lmaintained and the oil head may be disc argedsubstantially as fast as the tubing is lowered.

, The present invention, as above indicated, resides in means forconducting -tubing lowering with a minimum of operations, and in meanscomprising a minimum of parts, vparticularly of those parts which arepermanently attached to each well. The equipment employed comprisesparts attached to the well casing as permanent equipment, and a manifoldattachable thereto for tubing low'- ering operations and removabletherefrom after the tubing lias been lowered. In a preferred formthe'parts attached to the well casing as permanent equipment'include onla special casing head for Vreceiving a lan ing packer, a removablelanding mandrel supporting said tubing on the packer, and .a gate valveor the like mounted upon and closing the casing head. The usual gassupply connection `is attached to the head above the packer and an oildischarge connection is attached to the head below the packer. In thispreferred form the removable manifold comprises au assembly of threevertically aligned valves, of which the upper and lower valves are inthe form of rams adapted to be closed about and pack or seal a length oftubing being passed through the assembly, the middle valve being a gatevalve or the like adapted to completely cut off the iow of fluid whentubing or other passing parts have been removed from its path. The ramsare adapted lto be opened wide enough to ass the landing mandrel and itspacker. e manifold said stem and said point. This gas supply means is reuired because the normal gas supply connection to the special casinghead must be closed upon removal of the packer from.

the casing head in preparation for lowering tubing. A gas conduit in theform of a valved hose connection is conveniently employed to supply gasto the stem and a valved pipe supplies gas directly to the side of theassembly. These conduits, by proper manipulation of their valves, aremade to supply as to the flow tube either continuously or intermittentlyas desired.

In order to avoid the repeated manipula-V tion of gas valves, a modifiedform of structure employs a single gas connection to the valve assemblyjust above the lower ram, in conjunction with a closed or solid loweringstem having a gas Toy-passing duct at its lower extremity for passinggas from the interior of the assembly to tubing attached to the stem,and a' special inflatable packer (or other appropriate valve which mightbe an other ram) is positioned just below said lower ram capable ofpassing tubing couplings and packers without material passage ofgas. Inthis form the. pipe section connecting the upper ram with theintermedi-ate gate valve must be long enough to accommodate an entirelength of tubing and also the lower portion ofthe lowering stemcontaining the gas passing duct.

The invention therefore may be stated as including the combination of acasing head and valve arrangement constituting permanent equipment onthe casing, and a removable manifold comprising an assembly of valvesadapted to pass tubing through said casing head without loss ofpressure, a lowering stem to cooperate with said assembly in passingtubing, and means to supply gas to said stem or to said assemblydirectly, or to both. The invention also resides in saidrem'ovableassembly which comprises the upper and lower ram andintermediate gate valve connected as a unit and a single gas connectionleading to the assembly and cooperating with a suitable by-passconnection for continuously supplying gas during both lowering andintermediate periods. The invention further includes the removable valveassembly comprising the upper and lower rams and intermediate gatevalve, a singlegas connection which leads directly to said asy sembly,and a closed lowering stem adapted duct at its lower end to pass gasfrom the assembl through said duc-t into tubing to which t e stem isattached. The invention also resides in the method of operating theequipment and its variousv valves for the purpose of lowering tubingwhile maintaining gas lift.

In the accompanying drawings wherein certain embodiments of theinvention are disclosed for the purpose oi illustration,

Fig. l is a sectional elevation indicating 'the complete apparatusrequired both for flowing the well normally and tor lowering tubingduring iow, the break above the lower gate valve indicating the dividingline between the permanent and temporary equipment;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 2- 2 of Fig.l;

Figs. 3 to 8 indicate successive operations, Figs. 7 and 8 also showingslight modificaN tions of gas supplying connections; oi these figures;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional elevation showing more or lessdiagraminatically one oi the steps in removing the landing packer andlanding mandrel while maintaining gas circulation through the loweringstein and preparatory to introduction 01E additional lengths of tubing,the normal gas supply conduit having been closed, the upper packing rainbeing closed about the lowering stem to prevent loss of gas, and thesuspended string of tubing being landed on the lower packing ram;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showin the landing mandrel and its packingdisconnected from the string of tubing and in an elevated position abovethe intermediate gate valve which has been closed to retain the gaspressure (now being applied to the tubing by a lateral connection) andto permit the removal of the landing mandrel and its packer through theupper ram;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing anew section of tubing attached to thelowering stem and in position about to be threaded into the tubingsuspended on the lower ram, the upper ram being closed; the upper gascontrol valve will be opened to introduce gas through the lowering stemfollowing the attachment of the latter to the suspended tubing, and thelower gas control Avalve will be closed bcore opening the lower ram inorder to prevent introduction of high pressure gas into the annular oilchamber below the ram;

Fig.I 6 illustrates the position of the valves while lowering a collaror coupling through the lower ram and slipping the new tubing sectionthrough the upper ram, the lower gas control valve being now closed toprevent the passage of gas into the annular oil chamber below the ram;

Fig. 7 discloses both a succeeding position `ill which the lower ram isclosed and the up- 10 in erger to lower the latter;

, v lowering stem only, whereby gas will be supplied to the wellintermittently and only durmg those periods when the stem and tubing lenh being introduced are inthe position of i 5 or are attached to thetubing string Fig. 8 shows a further modification in which a solid orclosed lowering stem is employed and a single gas connection is employedduring lowering operations, which.

connection leads to the upper side of the lower ram and is adapted forsupplying gas t0 the depending string of tubing only during thoseintervals when the tubing is landed on the lower ram and theintermediate gate valve is closed;

Fig. 9'discloses a still further modification employing a singleconnection and a by-passing expedient'for supplying gas continuouslyduring tubing lowering operations, the bypass being shown as a gas ductin the lower end of a solid or closed lowering stem;

Fig. 9A is a vertical sectional detail of a special inflatable packerused in the construction of Fig. 9 below the lower ram and above thepermanent gate valve, this figure indicating the form which the packertakes in passing tubing and the solid landing packer;

Fig. 9B shows a detail of a modified form of lowering stem for thestructure of Fig. 9; Fig. 10 is a view indicatingthe lowering operationafter attachment of a new tubing length and thelowering stem of Fig. 9to the suspended tubing; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional detail of the inflatable packerconstruction.

Referring to the form of Figs. 1 to 6, the entire physlcal structurerequired for operation is shown in detail in Fig. 1 wherein that portionwhich isrequired on the well as a permanent fixture employed inconjunction with .normal gas lift is shown as mounted upon the wellcasing 14, and that portion which is attachable for the purpose ofconducting tubing lowering operations, and is removable thereafter isshown as elevated somewhat above the permanent portions. The removabletubing lowering assembly comprises a lower massive valve A of the ramtype and a similar upper valve B, ram A being connected by means of ashort nipple 11 to a gate Valve C which in turn is connected by means ofan elongated nipple or section of pipe 12 with the upper ram B.

These parts are shown as mounted upon a suitable support S in positionready to be lowered for attachment to the permanent fixtures on thewell, the lower side of the ram A being provided with a connectingnipple 13 for purposes of such connection.

The permanent structure comprises a gate valve D flanged or internallythreaded on its upper side to receive the nipple 13, and mounted at itslower side upon the upper end of a special casing head in turn mountedupon the casing 14 in any suitable lmanner such as by the coupling 14shown. The head 15 is internally provided with a seat for a landingpacker P which supports the head of a landing mandrel M whose lower endprojects through the packer P and is threaded into the couplin 16 on theupper end of the suspended within the well. Below the packer aconnection 18 is provided on the head 15 for the discharge of the oilbeing produced by gas lift, and above the packer P a gas supply line 20is connected to the head 15 for normally supplying gas tollow the oil.The line 20 receives its gas supply by way of a control valve 21 from agas mam 22. The gas main 22 is provided with a permanently mountedlateral connection 23 controlled by a normally closed valve 24. A Whenthe valve assembly A, B, C is lowered for connection of the nipple 13 tothe gate valve D, the ,gas connection 23 is connected through the mediumof flanges or other suitable joint to a gas connection 25 having twobranches 26 and 29 whereby gas may be distributed directly to theassembly by way of a gas conduit 26 leading to the upper flange of theram A and controlled by valve 27, and whereby gas may be supplieddirectly'to a hollow lowering stem 28 by way of hose connection 29controlled by valve 30, said hose 29 leading to a swivel 31 which issupported from the derrick top as by means of a bail 32 and in turnsupports said stem 28.

The hollow lowering stem 28, which is conveniently a length of ordinarytubing such,

as the flow tubing 16, is adapted to be passed downward through thevalve assembly, A, B, C and to be threadedinto the head of the mandrel Mand also into couplings 16" of flow tubing 16 or of lengths of tubing16a to be" subsequently lowered into the well. The rams A and B areprovided with heavy jaws V35 which are recessed at their inner ends toengage the stem 28 and tubing lengths 16a,

passed toand froml the assembly A, B, C and slid through the rams and Bin raising and lowering tubing lengths, and the gas control valves arevariously manipulated according to the requirements of the variousoperations, the gas being continuously introduced into the well althoughbeing supplied by way of valves 27 and 30 alternately. y ,j

ow tubing 16 de ending j this instance the lowering stem 28 is eitherclosed or solid. By means of these modications gas is introduced onlyintermittently at certain intervals.

In the orm of Figs. 9 to 11 only the single gas connection 26 to theupper lange of the ram A is employed, but certain modifications are usedwhich permit continuous introduction of gas to the flow tube 16. Thesemodiiications as shown consist in a special connecting nipple and packerE which replaces the connecting nipple-13 and contains an in latablepacking element F adapted to pass tubing 16', tubing couplings 16',mandrel M and the solid landing packer P. Actuation oi the inflatablefiexible element F (which may he of rubber or the like) is automaticallyaccomplished by the entrance of gas under pressure into the interior ofthe element F through a port or series of ports 40 on the upper side oisaid iniatable element F. In order that the gas pressure which issupplied by connection 26 to the interior of the assembly may be passedto the suspended tubing 16 when the lowering stem or a new tubingsection 16a is attached to the suspended tubing 16, the lowering stem28a is made either closed or solid and its lower end is provided with agas-conducting or luy-passing duct 41 which provides at one end a port42 opening through the side of the stem into the assembly and at theother end a port or discharge communicating with the interior of thetubing to which the stem is connected. Thus gas will ow from theinterior of the assembly through said duct 41 into tubing suspended fromthe stem. y

However it is necessary that the pipe section 12a which joins the valvesB and C be long enough to house both a tubing length 16 and the lowerportion of the lowering stem 28a containing the duct 41. i The duct 41preferably is made as short las possible as indicated in Fig. 9 so thatthe length ofsection 12a may be reduced to a minimum. The reason forhaving section 12a of the indicated length is to avoid exposing the ort42 above the ram B at anytime when t e gate valve C is open. Otherwisegas would be lost through an attached tubing length 16 b way of saidduct 41 and port 42. In or er to use stem 28a for removing the landingmandrel M and its packer P without permitting port 42 to pass below theinflatable packer F into the oil discharge column, as more fullydescribed hereinafter, itjis necessary to nvent future loss of gas.

terpose a short extension 286 in the form A The operations required forlowering tubing with the form of Figs. 1 to 6 are as ole.

lows, the discharge of`oil taking place continuously through thedischarge line 18 at all times.

With the permanent structure of the well in the position shown in Fig. 1(that is with gate Valve D closed, the tub-ing being suspended on thepacker P by means of landing mandrel M, gas valve 21 being open andvalve 24 closed), the assembly A., B, C is lowered into position andconnected with valve D by threading the nipple 13 thereinto. Gasconnection 25 is then attached to the connection 23 and the connection26 is put in position. With the hose 29 connected to the lowering stem28, and with the valves A, B, C open, said stem 28 is run into theassembly A, B, C and the ram B is closed about stem 28 to pre- Gatevalve D is then opened, valves 24 and 30 are opened to supply gas to thehose 29 and stem 28, valve 27 is closed to cut oil gas throughconnection 26, and valve 21 is closed to prevent supply of gas to thenormal iiowingconnection 20, said valve 21 remaining closedthroughout-all subsequent tubing lowering operations and valve 24remaining open during all such operations. The well is now being iiowedby gas passing through valves 24. andl 30 and through hose y 29 andlowering stem 28.

The next step is to force stem 28 down through the ram B into engagementwith the head of mandrel M and to thread the lower end of the stemthereinto. Thereupon the stem is elevated through the medium of the bail32 to lift the landing mandrel M, its landing packer P and the suspendedtubing 16 upward to bring the mandrel and packer above the lower ram A,which is then closed about the tubing 16.

The parts are now in the position shown in Fig. 3. The uppermostcoupling 16 on the tubing 16 is then allowed to settle upon the jaws ofthe lower ram A and the lowering stem 28 is rotated` by a wrench tocause the mandrel M to break joint with the coupling 16 now landed onram A. To insure that the joint between mandrel M and coupling 16' willbreak,v rather than the joint between stem 28 and the mandrel head, atapered thread or mutilated thread in the mandrel head or otherexpedient will be employed whichwill insure a sulllciently tighter jointin said mandrel head.

Having broken said joint the stem 28 1s elevated to raise theA mandrel M.and its packer P above the gate valve C into the connecting section 12,as in Fig. 4, whereupon gas valve 27 is opened in order to feed gas intothe upper end'of the tubing 16by way of the connection 26. Vavle 30 isthen closed and gate valve C is closed to cut ofi` escape of gas and theupper ram B is opened wide enough to permit withdrawal of the packer. P,said packer and mandrel M then being detached from the stem 28. I

The next operation which is illustrated in Fig. 5 is to attach a newlength of tubing 16a to the lowering stem 28 and insert thistubinglength through. the open jaws of ram B, which are then closed about thetubing. Gate valve C is next opened so that the end of the tubing len th16a may be moved into position for threa ing into the `coupling 16 onthe tubing landed on the jaws of ram A.

The next step, as indicated in Fig. 6 is to open valve 30 to supply gasto vstern 28 and tubing length 16a by way of hose 29. Valve 27 is thenclosed to cut oil gas directly to the assembly, and tubing length 16a isthreaded into the suspended coupling 16. The jaws of the ram A are thenopened and the suspendcd tubing is allowed to descend into the well byreason of its own Weight until the coupling at the upper end of the newlength 16a reaches the jaws of the ram B. Thereupon ram A is closed andram B is opened, as in Fig. 7, and the lowering is continued until thecoupling at the upper end of the new length is landed on ram A.Thereupon ram B is closed to retain gas pressure about to be releasedinto the assembly, lowering stem 28 is unscrewed from the landedcoupling, gas valve 27 is opened, gas valve 30 is closed,- the stem israised above the gate valve C which also is then closed, and ram B isopened.

The parts are now in the positions as indicated in both Figs. 4 and 8,and stem 28 is ready for the attachment of a new tubing length whichwill be lowered by a repetitlon of the above described operations. It isto be noted that tubing ma be raised` from a Well and removed section ysection with continuation of gas introduction, by substantially the sameprocedure followed in removing `the mandrel and its packer, that is b areversal of the procedure for loweringt e tub- 1n The constructions ofFigs. 7 and 8 are employed in those cases where it is suflicient tointroduce gas'only intermittently during certain operations. Accordin toFi 7 gas will be introduced only throug the ose 29 and lowering stem 28,and according to Fig.'8 gas will be introduced only through the lateralconnection 26 leading to Ithe upper side of the ram A. In theseinstances the mandrel M and its packer P are removed as in the otherform except that as soon as the mandrel and packer are raised above thegate valve C and the latter is closed the gas is out oil' from the welland gas introduction will n ot be resumed until gate valve C is againopened. Meanwhile it is necessary to close the valve 24 to cut oil' gasfrom the hose 29 and lowering stem 28 while the ram B is opened and thelanding mandrel and the packer are bemg) detached and a new length oftubing 16a is eing attached and returned throu h ram B. In the case ofFig. 8 gas is supp ied by way of valve 24 and lateral connection 26 tothe top of tubing 16 during all times when the coupling 16 is landed onthe jaws of the ram A and the lowering stem 28 is at the same timeunattached to said coupling 16. Thus, ram B having been closed aboutsaid stem 28 and gatevalve C having been opened gas will contlnue tollow into the top o tubing 16 until said stem has been threaded into thelanded coupling 16', whereupon gas flow into t-he tubing automaticallyis cut oii'. Thereupon as valve 24 is closed in order that no gas may efed into the casing to interrupt the oil flow from line 18 after thejaws of ram A are opened. VThe lowering stem 28 must made for thecontinuous introduction of gas to the tubing 16 by wa of a single gasline and for this purpose t e lateral gas connection 26 alone is used,the valve 24 being continuously open and gas continuously passingthrough connection 26 after the removable lowering equipmenthas beenattached and the valve 21 has been closed. Here the lowering equipmentis attached to the permanent gate valve D through the medium of thespecial nipple E containing the inflatable yieldln packing element F.Assuming that the' tubing 16 is still landed on the solid packer Pthrough the medium of the mandrel M, and that gas is still flowingthrough line 20 and valve 21, as in Fig. 1, (valve 24 not yet havingbeen opened), the closed lowerin stem 28m having its extension 286attached is passed into the assembly, ram B is closed thereabout andsaid stem is readilyforced downward through the open jaws ofram A andthrough the inflatable packer F into attachment with the mandrel. Thevalve 24 is next opened to pass gas tothe assembly by way of aconnection 26, and the valve 21 is closed to remain closed during allsubsequent operations incidental to tubing lowerlll)l ing. The stem 28ais then elevated to lift the packer M out of its Aseat whereupon the tomaintain port 42 above inflatable packer element F, so that, whenlanding packer M 1s lifted-cti its seat, pressures below packer F andwithin and without suspended tubing 16 cannot equalize through port 42and sto oil flow up through ,casing 14 and out throug discharge line 18,as wouldl happen if port 42 were osition'ed below pac er F when packer'is lifted. As indicated in Fig. 9

m withdrawal is continued until the coupling 2 directly into the top ofthe tubing and will continue so to pass until a new tubin length 16a hasbeen introduced and attache to the coupling 16. Exactly the sameprocedure is followed in removing mandrel M and packer y1: when the stem280 of Fig. 9B, is used in place of stem 28-and extension 285. In thatcase the long duct 41a, insures maintenance of port 42 above inflatableelement F. When the mandrel M and packer P have been removed from thewell, stem 28a is substituted and tubing lowering proceeds. The variousoperations of removing the mandrel and its packer and introducing new 35tubing lengths are identical with those of the -forms of Figs. 1 to 8,the gate valve C being closed after withdrawal of the stem and mandrel,and the ram B being opened and closed to receiveand seal a newtubinglength 16a before gate valve C is again opened. With thisconstruction the connecting section 12a between gate valve C and ram Bis suiciently long to completely house a tubing length 16a and the lowerend of the stem 28a containing the passage 41 so that when ram B hasbeen closed and gate valve C has been opened there can be no escape ofgas through the lowering stem. Fig. 9 indicates this relation also,except that a new tubing section 16a will have been substituted forextension 285 and mandrel-M in preparation for closing ram B and openinggate' valve C. Fig. 10 shows a new section 16a; attached to thepreviously landed coupling 16 andthe lowering of the tubing 16 andcoupling through ram A. At this time the gas enteringthrough connection26 is passing into the tubing 16a and 16 by way of the port 42 andpassage 41 in the lower end of said stem 28a. As the cou ling 16' passesthrough the inflatable pac 'ng element F the gas pressure above F, beingin excess of the pressure of the 'discharging oil mixture below F, willmaintain a seal about the tubing and the coupling as the coupling passesdownward therethrough.

With this construction no manipulation of the valve 24 or of any othergas valve is required during the entire tubing lowering operations, andthe attendants may devote their time exclusively to the manipulation ofthe rams A and B and the gate valve C and to the actual operations oflowering tubing and withdrawing the lowering stem.

In connection with all forms, when sucient tubing has been lowered, thepacker P and landing mandrel M will be returned by a reversal of theoperations described for their removal. Also, it is obvious that tubmgmay be removed from a well while maintaining gas lift, by reversing theoperations described for lowering.

It is tobe understood that the disclosures made herein are merelyillustrative and do not limit the invention inasmuch as manylmprovements may be made within the scope of the appended claims bythose skilled in the art.

For example any type of packing device whlch will permit the passage ofthe landing packer P and coupling 16 without passage of materialquantlties of high pressure gas may be employed as a substitute for theinilatable packer F which has been shown. Thus another ram may besustituted, this being spaced from ram A only far enou h to provide forreceiving the mandrel and two rams.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for lowering tubing in a gas lift well'during as liftcomprising a permanent unit adapte to be mounted upon the well casing,and a removable unit adapted to be mounted on the permanent unit thepermanent unit comprising a casing head adapted to support and suspendHow tubin and a valve mounted on the casing head an adapted to be closedin order to close the top ofthe casing against loss of oil and gas whentubing is removed from the valve and to be opened to pass the tubing,and the removable unit comprising an assembly of a plurality of valvesadapted to pa and pack tubing, a connection for supplying gas to theapparatus, and a tubing handling member adapted to be passed throu h theassembly into engagement with tu ing suspended in line therewith. i

2. A struct-ure according to claim 1 wherein certain of the valves ofthe assembl are adapted to pack tubing extending t erethrough and one ofsaid valves is adapted to intercept flow of fluid when tubing iswithdrawn from itspath. Y

3. A struct-ure according to claim 1 wherein the removable valveassembly comprises a lower ram, an upper ram and an intermediate gatevalve.

, 4. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the valve assemblyvcomprises an upper packer P betweenV the closed jaws of such l prisesupper and lower valves for valve for packing tubing, a lower valve for:A

' side of the assem ly between the lower packing valve and theintermediate valve'.

6. A-structure according to claim 1 wherein the valve assembly comprisesan u per and lower valve for packing tubin an an intermediate valve forcuttin o gas between the packing valves an wherein the gas connectionsupplies gas to the tubing th handling member.

7. A device for moving tubing in a gas lift well comprising an assemblyof aligned valves adapted to ass vtubing to and from the well and to pacthe tubing, a fluid connection to said assembly for continuously passingfluid, and a stem adapted to engage the tubing to move the same, saidstem having a fluid yby-pass for by-passing fluid between the interiorof the assembly and the tubing when the stem is connected with thetubing, the fluid passing directly between the top of the tubing andthefluid connection when the stem is disconnected. v

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the by-pass is in the formof a duct in a lower portion of the stem leading from a port in the sideof the stem to a port in the lower end of the stem.

9. An apparatus for .lowering tubing in a gas lift`wel-l during gas liftcomprising an assembly including means for suspending and packingtubing, means for 'passing gas into said assembly above the suspendingmeans, means below the point of suspension for packing the tubing, and alowering stem for engaging tubing landed on said suspending means, saidstem having by-passing means for conducting gas from the assembly intosaid tubing.

10. A structure according to. claim 9 wherein said by-passing meansis.in the form of a duct leading from the lower end of the lowering stemto a port at the side of the lowering' stem adapted to communicate withthe interior of the assembly.

11. A structure according to claim 9 wherein the assembly comprises alower ram for suspending and packing the tubing, an upper rain forpassing and packing the tubing and an intermediate valve forintercepting gas.v

12. An apparatus for lowering tubing vin a gas lift well during gas liftcomprising an assembly adapted to be mounted upon a well and includingmeans for passing, packing and suspending tubing, a single gasconnecsaid packing tion leading to the assembly,

continuously means including means for packing tubilig and means pted tobe connected with tubing for by-passing gas into the tubing from withinthe assembly.

below the gas connection,

13. An ap aratus for lowering tubing in a gas lift we l during gas liftcomprising a removable assembly of valves adapted .to be mounted uponthe well comprising lower means for packing and suspending tubing, anupper valve for packing tubing, a single gas connection leading to theassembly above the suspending means, and means adapted to be passedthrough said assembly into engagement with the tubing and having aby-pass for passing gas into the tubing from within e assembly. l 14.apparatus according to claim l13 wherein the tubing-engaging means is inthe .form of a lowering stem having a duct lead ing from its lower endto constituting the by-pass.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the assembly includes agas intercepting valve disposed between the upper and lower packingvalves, and the tubingengaging means is inthe form of a lowering stemhaving a duct leading from its lower end to a port at its side.

16. A n apparatus for lowering tubing in a gas liftwell during gas liftcomprising an assembly adapted to be removably mounted upon the well, agas connection leading to theside of said assembly, said assemblycomprising means positioned below said gas connectionv and adapted tosuspend and to continuously pack tubing during both suspension andtravel of tubing and tubing coupling, a tubing-packing valve at the topof said assembly,.a gas-intercepting valve between said top valve 4andthe gas connection, and a lowering stem for engaging suspended tubing,.said `stein having means for by-passinghgas into the tubing whenconnected there wi 17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein thegas by-passing means is in the form of. a passage extending from thelower end of the lowering stem to a port in the side of said loweringstem at a point adapted to be maintained below the. tubing-packing valvewhen the gas-intercepting valve is open.

18. A device for moving tubing in a gas lift well comprising an assemblyof aligned valves adapted to pass tubing to and from lll 19. t napparatus for lowering tubing in a gas lift well during gas liftcomprising an assembly including means for suspending tubing, means forpassing gas into the assembly. above the suspending means, packing meansbelow the point of suspension and actuable into packing relation by thedifierential between pressures on the opposite sldes thereof, and alowering stem for engaging tubing landed on the suspending means and formoving the tubing through said packing means.

20. A structure according to claim 19, wherein the lowering stem isprovided with a by-pass for conducting gas from within the assembly intosaid tubing.

21. An apparatus for lowering tubing in a gas lift well during gas liftcomprising an assembly adapted to be mounted upon a well and includingmeans for passing, packing and suspending tubing, a single gasconnection leading to the assembly abovethe suspending means, packingmeans positioned below the suspending means adapted be actuated intopacking relation bythe differential of pressure between the pressures atthe opposite sides of such packing means, and means adapted to beconnected with the tubing for moving the same through the packer.

22. A method for lowering tubing in a well flowing by the gas liftmethod, the well carrying a casing head, a gas intercepting valve toclose the top thereof,- said tubing being suspended in said head upon apacker and gas being passed into the casing and into said tubing to liowthe well, and an assembly of valves being mounted on said gasintercepting valve and including means to suspend and pack the tubing,comprising the steps o f opening said gas intercepting valve, cnt tin oigas to said casing head, passing a tubing owering stem into engagementwith the landed tubing, lifting said tubing into said assembly, landingthe tubing in said assembly, detaching the packer and lowering-stem fromsaid landed tubing, removing the packer and tubing from said assembly,passing gas into the tubing during certain ofthe above operations toiiow the well, attaching a new tubing length to said stem, introducingsaid length into said assembly and packing the same therein, attachingsaid length to the landed tubing, passing gas through said stem andlength into said tubing, lowering theA tubing through said assembly,landing the new length in said assembly, detaching and withdrawing thestem, and passing gas through the new tubing length during certainperiods to flow the well.

23. A method for lowering or raising tubing in a gas lift well in whichtubing is suspended, comprising introducing or withdrawing a tubinglength through an aligned assembly of valves adapted to pa and pack thetubing, attaching or removing said ti/ibing length to or from thesuspended tubing, intermittently lowering or raising the tubing,continuously supplying gas under pressure to said assembly, passing thegas directly to the suspended tubing when said tubing length isdisconnected, and by-passing said gas from the assembly to said tubinglength when connected with the suspended tubing, whereby gas iscontinuously supplied to the suspended tubing to maintain gas lift flowof the well.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the by-passed gas is passedfrom within the assembly into said tubing length.

25.v A method for lowering tu in in a well flowing by the gas liftmethod, said well carr ing an assembly including means to suspen andpack the tubing, comprising the steps of suspending the tubing in theassembly, continuously introducing gas into the assembly above thesuspending means, passing from within the assembly into the tubing,passing a new length of tubing through said assembly into engagementwith the upper end of the suspended tubing, then bypassing gas into thetubing by way of s aid tubing length, suspending the tubing from saidtubing length, unseating the tubing from the suspending means, packingsaid tubing below the suspendingl means, and lowering the tubing throughsaid assembly without-loss of gas through the packing means and whileflowing gas into the tubing through said tub-` ing length.

' 26. A method according to claim 25 where-V in the by-passed gas ispassed from within the assembly into said tubing length.

27. A method for lowering or raising tubing in a well flowingby the gaslift method, said well carrying an assembly including means to suspendand pack the tubin comprising the steps of suspending the tu ing in theassembly, continuously supplying gas to the lower portion of theassembly above the suspending means, continuously packing the tubingbelow the' point of gas introduction, introducing or withdrawing alength of tubing, attaching or removing said length to or from thesuspended tubing, passing gas from within the assembly into the top ofthe suspended tubing when the tubing length is disconnected therefrom,by-passing gas through said tubing length into the tubing when thetubing length is attached to the suspended tubing, and lowering orraising the tubing through said assembly while flowing gas into thetubin through said tubing length and while pac ing the tubing below thepoint of introduction of gas to said assembly.

28. A method for moving tubing in a well flowing by the gas lift method,said well carrying an assembly of valves including means to suspend andpack the tubing, comprising the steps of suspending the tubing in theassembl continuously packing the tubing below t e point of suspension,continuously supplying gas to the assembly above the sus ending means,attaching or detaching a tu ing length to or from the suspended tubing,passing gas from the assembly into the top of the tubing when the tubinglength is disconnected, and by-passing gas into the tubing by way ofsaid tubing length when the tubing length is connected to the suspendedtubing.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the by-passed gas is passedfrom within the assembly to sald tubing len h.

Signed at Los Angeles, in t e county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, this 26th day of February A. D. 1932.

ALBERT C. RUBEL. SAMUEL HENRY GRINNELL.

